Plow-raising means for conduit-railways.



PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

A. N. GONNETT.

PLOW RAISING MEANS FOR GONDUIT RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1,," Jnventor. Alberta N. Oonnetb No. 729,137. PATBNTEDMAY 26,1903. A. N. OONNETT.

PLOW RAISING MEANS FOR OONDUIT RAILWAYS.

- APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 21, 1901.

no MODEL.

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UNrreD STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT N. OONNETT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PLOW-RAISING MEANS FOR CONDUlT-RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,137, dated May 26, 1903. Application filed February 21, 1901. Serial No. 48,204. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT N. CONNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plow-Raising Means for Conduit-Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railways of the type having working conductors beneath the car and collectors depending from the car for making connection between the working conductors and the car-motors.

The invention consists in means for controlling the movements and electrical connections of such collectors.

Of the drawings, Figurel is a cross-section of a portion of such railway, showing a truck of an electric car with which myinvention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the truck. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing means for varying the elevation of the collector and simultaneously changingits electrical connections. Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections of a road-bed, showing trucks provided with further features of my invention; and Fig. 6 is a plan of a roadway with a curved slot.

For the sake of simplicity no one. figure contains all the features of the invention,-although all features cooperate and many cars are in successful operation which are provided with all the features disclosed.

The particularconductorsystem with which my invention is shown herein is the familiar underground-conduit system; but I regard the invention as clearly applicable to any system which has working conductors beneath the car on or below the surface and which has a depending collector for engaging such conductors-as, for example, surface-stud-contact systems or third-rail systems.

It is frequently found desirable and necessary to employ at least two systems of working conductors on the same road, one system being at one portion of the road and the other system at another portion of the road. In such a case one of the systems above described is generally used on one portion and an overhead system is used on another portion. However, any one system having conductors beneath the car might be used in the same road with any other system having conductors beneath the car or with an overheadline system. The usual case is to have an underground-conduit system at one portion of the road-say within city limits-and at the other portion to have an overhead-line system beyond the city limits. In any case since with at least one of the systems is employed a depending collector it is necessary that means he provided for raising that collector when the end of the system with which said collector operates is reached and to lower the collector when the first part of the section of the road provided with a system with which said collector operates is reached, and in all such cases my invention, which consists of means for controlling movements and electrical connections, is applicable.

Since the slotin which the shank or reduced portions of the collector operates is necessarily small to prevent the engagement of vehicle-wheels therein and since it is necessary that the working parts of the collector within the conduit which engage with the conductors should be rather large, it is essential that some means be provided to widen the slot between the upper portion of the protecting walls of the feeding-conductor to permit the withdrawal of the collector from the inclosure when desired-such, for instance, as that shown in my application for patent, Serial No; 48,203, filed February 21, 1901.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the means for raising and lowering the collect-or Patter the conduit or inclosure has been opened. In normal operation the collector or plow is suspended from the car by a chain Oat such an elevation that its contacts or shoes S can engage with the working-conductor rails R. Means are provided at the side of the car whereby the chain can be'controlled. The motorman having removed his controller-ham dle may use it to operate such means to raise or to lower the collector. Angle-irons G are suitably secured to the truck-frame,as shown, to engage the fore and aft portions of the collector to prevent independent longitudinal movement of the collector with respect to the car. Guides G are also mounted on the truckframe, as shown, to engage the collector-shoes S when the collector is raised and maintain the shoes in a central position to prevent them from catching on the guides G. A wheel W is journaled in the frame, as shown, and from this wheel the chain and collector are suspended, the chain passing beneath a guidewheel V which is mounted in a stationary portion of the truck.

.As shown more clearly in detail at the right in Fig. 3, a nntN is mounted on a worm-shaft M, and jonrnaled on this nut is a wheel W,

over which the chain 0 passes, as shown in Fig. 1, the end of the chain being secured to a stationary support 0. When the motormans controller-handle X is placed over the outer end of the worm-shaft M and the handle turned, the nut carrying the wheel W will be moved along the shaft to the right from its position at the left in Fig. 1. The chain will thus be drawn under the wheel W and over the wheel W and the collector be raised from the conduit which has beenopened to permit its withdrawal. When the collector has nearly reached its raised position, the shoes S will engage the inclined guides G, which will maintain them and the shank of the collector in a central position. With this construction of worm-shaft and nut it will be seen that the chain is moved to a distance double the range of movement of the nut, whereby effective results are accom plished by a compact apparatus. A spring-operated latch A engages the nut in its movement toward the right and is forced by the spring into the return-path of the nut to prevent the return of the latter under the weight of the collector and securely locks the latter in its raised position. The latch is released by hand when it is desired to lower the collector.

In systems of this character it is essential that the electrical connections of the collector which has been withdrawn from its operative position should be broken and that the electrical connections of the collector which are substituted should be made at that time. This has hitherto been accomplished by hand; butI'have devised an apparatus by which these changes are made automatically during the operation of raising or lowering the collector.

At the left in Fig. 3 the switch,with its electrical and mechanical connections, is illustrated. The motor 0 is permanently connected to the contacts 0 P and O N. A rotatable cylinder I carries four contacts, of which two, D D, are connected to the collector-shoes S. A third, D,is connected with the overhead trolley T or other suitable collector, and the fourth, D is connected to ground. A crank-arm B is connected with the cylinder 1, and a rod E is pivoted to this crankarm. The right-hand portion of the rod E is screw-threaded, as shown, and double nuts F,shown at the center and the right-hand end, are screwed thereon to serve as stops. A sleeve V incloses the screw-threaded portion of the rod E, and along this sleeve slides the nut N, which is operated by the worm-shaft M. The rod E is continuously screw-threaded in order to permit the nuts to be screwed on from the end, and the sleeve V provides a smooth surface for the sliding of the nut N. If the nuts were screwed upon the rod from opposite ends, the sleeve V would not be necessary. As shown in Fig. 3, the nut N is in its extreme right-hand position, the chain 0 having consequently been drawn up to raise the collector, and the nut has just engaged the right-hand stop F to force the rod E to the right and through the crank-arm B to partially rotate the cylinder I in the same direction. It will thus be clear that the switch I is not operated in either direction until the collector has nearly reached the end of its vertical travel. In this position of the cylinder I the connection of the motor-terminals O P and O N with the collector-shoes S have been broken and the motor-terminals have been connected with the contacts D and D which are connected with trolley and ground, respectively. When the worm-shaftMis turned in the opposite direction and the nutN moved thereby to the left, the connection of the motor with the trolley T will be maintained until thecollector is about to assume its operative position-that is, the cylinder-switch will not be moved until the nut N has nearly reached the left-hand part of the worm-shaft M, when it engages the left-hand stop F to force the rod E to the right and turn the cylinder I to the left, breaking the trolley and ground contacts and making connection between the motor-terminals and the collectorshoes S.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent means for controlling movements of the plows in addition to those movements already described.

In portions of a road the conduit will be located substantially midway between the track-rails, and the slot will be likewise located, being included between twoindependent slot-rails, as shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 6. HOW6V6t',i1h6IB are various conditions which make it desirable at other portions of the road that the conduit be located under one track-rail, the slot beingineluded between such track-rail and a single independent rail. tral and side slots are made continuous by the curved slot-rails shown in the central portion of Fig. 6 in order that the curved slotrails may guide the collector from one to another.

Owing to the distance between the slots shown at the left and right of Fig. 6, it is necessary that the collector should have a Wide range of movement transversely of the carbody. The construction .for accomplishing this result is shown in' detail in Figs. 4 and 5. The upper portion of the collector P is provided with a head H, which engages in a slot L in an elevator L, which is connected at the lower end of the chain 0. As shown in Fig. 4, there are three of these elevators, one having a slot midway between the trackrails and one having a slot adjacent to each In such'cases these centrack-rail, each elevator being provided with independent elevator mechanism. A guideway Gr connects these elevators, being in alinement with the slot L in each elevator, so that the head H of the collector is free to move in the direction in which the curved slot-rails tend to move it to take its new position. The means for raising and lowering the central elevator is substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The means for raising the side elevators consists of a chain 0, secured to a wheel-segment W upon the axis of which an operating-chain is mounted. A wheel Q, provided with a pawl and ratchet, serves to operate this chain.

Inasmuch as the wide range of transverse movement of the collector requires unusually long leads D, means are provided for taking up their slack. Transverse guide-rods b are provided, and a carrier is is mounted for free movement upon these rods. To the carrier is are attached the leads from the collector, and when the collector is moved transversely to the car the-carrier moves with it along the guiderods b until it engages one of the fixed stops it, to one of which the free ends of the leads are secured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with an electric car,o f a collector, chains attached to'the forward and rear parts of said collector by which said collectoris suspended, means around which said chains are adapted to pass and from which said chains are suspended, and means independent of said suspending means for drawing up and letting down said chains.

2. The combination with an electric car,ofa collector, chains attached to the forward and rear parts of said collector, by which chains said collector is suspended, means around which said chains are adapted to pass and from which said chains are suspended, guides for the forward and rear parts of said collector, and means independent of said suspending means for simultaneously drawing up and letting down said chains.

3. The combination with an electric car,of a collector, a chain by which said collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car, and means for forcing a portion of the chain out of its direct line of connection between said secured end and said collector to elevate the latter.

4. The combination with an electric car,of a collector, a chain by which the collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car, a movable nut for forcing aportion of the chain out of its direct line of connection between said secured end and the collector, and a worm-shaft for actuating said nut.

5. The combination with an electric car,of a collector, a chain by which said collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car,'a movable nut for forcing a portion of the chain out of its direct line of connection between the secured end of the chain and the collector, a wheel for said chain journaled on the nut, and a wormshaft for actuating said nut.

6. The combination with an electric car,ofa collector, a chain from which said collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car, a movablenut for forcing a portion of the chain out of its direct line of connection between the secured end of said chain and said collector, a wheel for the chain journaled in said nut, a guidewheel journaled in a stationary support, and a worm-shaft for actuating said nut.

7. The combination with an electric car,of a collector, a chain by which said collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car, a wheel around which said chain is adapted to pass and from which it is suspended, a guide-wheel, a movable nut for forcing aportion of the chain out of its direct line of connection between the collector and the secured end of the chain, and a worm-shaft for actuating said nut.

8. The combination with an electric car, of a collector, a chain by which said collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car, a wheel around which said chain is adapted to pass and from which it is suspended, means for varying the length of the chain between the point of suspension and the point of connection with the collector by forcing part of said chain out of its direct line of connection, and means for automatically locking the collector at the desired elevation.

9. The combination with an electric car, of a collector, a chain by which the collector is suspended having one end secured to a stationary part of the car, a movable nut for forcing a portion of said chain out of its direct line of connection between the collector and the secured end, a worm-shaft for actuating said nut, and a latch adapted automatically to engage said nut to lock the collector in a raised position.

10. The combination with an electric car, of a collector adapted to cooperate with one conductor system, another collector adapted to cooperate with another conductor system, a switch comprising connections to both c0llectors and to the car-motors, means for varying the position of one collector with respect toits conductorsystem Withoutoperatingsaid switch, and means whereby a further movement of said collector will operate said switch to disconnect such collector from, and connect the other collector with, the car-motors.

11. The combinationwith an electric car, of a collector adapted to cooperate with one conductor system, another collector adapted to cooperate with another conductor system, a rotatable switch for alternately connecting each with the. car-motors, a crank for the IIO switch, and means for controlling the position of one of the collectors and simultaneously reciprocating said crank.

12. The combination with an electric car, of a collector adapted to cooperate with one conductor system, another collector adapted to cooperate with another conductor system, a switch for alternately connecting each collector with the car-motors, a chain by which one of said collectors is suspended secured to a stationary part of the car, a nut for forcing a portion of the chain out ofits direct line of connection between the secured end of the chain and the collector, a worm for operating said nut, and means whereby the nut actuates said switch.

13. In an electric railway provided with a conduit, the combination with an electric car, of a collector or plow extending into the conduit and engaging with the positive and negative working conductors-therein, a second collector adapted to engage with a positive conductor, and a switch comprising positive and negative plow contacts, collector and ground contacts, and motor-contacts which cooperate alternately with the plow-contacts and with the collector and ground contacts.

14. The combination with an electric car, of a collector provided with collector-shoes, a chain by which said collector is suspended, means for changingthe elevation ofsaid chain between its point of suspension and the collector; guides for the forward and rear portions of the plow, and guides which are engaged by the collector-shoes to maintain the collector in a central position.

. 15. The combination with an electric car, of a collector, a guide transverselyarranged and fixed with respect to the car and along which said collector travels, and means for raising and lowering said collector at two or more parts of said guide.

16. The combination with an electric car, of acollector, a fixed transverse guide, a head on the collector adapted to slide along the guide, and means for raising and lowering said collector at two or more parts of said guide.

17. The combination with an electric car, of acollector, a transverse guide along which the collector slides, and a plurality of elevators at desired points along the guide with which the collector engages.

18. The combination with an electric car, of a collector, a transverse guide, elevators at desired points along the guide and adapted to form continuations of the latter, and a head on the collector adapted to slide along said guide and engage with said elevators.

19. The combination with an electric car, of acollector, a transverseguide along which the collector slides, elevators at desired parts of the guide, with which elevators the collector engages, chains by which said elevators are suspended, and vertical guides for the elevators.

20. The combination with an electric car, of a collector free to move transversely thereof, motor-leads extending from the collector, a support for the slack of the leads but forming no part of said leads,and transverse guides along which the support is free to slide.

21. The combination with an electric car, of a collector suspended from said car, means for raising and lowering said collector,a transverse guide along which said collector slides, flexible electrical conductors connecting said collector to the car-circuits, and means for supporting the slack of said flexible conductors intermediate their ends, said supporting means being free to move transversely of said car.

22. In a conduit system of electric railway, the combination with an electric car, of a collector, a chain for suspending said collector from said car, a frame in which said collector is capable of a rectilinear vertical movement, carried by said car, said frame also acting to prevent the longitudinal movement of said collector relative to said car, said collector being adapted to move transversely of said car, and means comprising the walls adjacent to the slot in a conduit carrying the electrical conductors, for guiding said collector in its transverse movement.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of February, 1901.

ALBERT N. CONNETT.

Witnesses:

ALFRED NUTTING, FREDK. L. RAND. 

